Locals answering the call for EMTs

By Suzanne WerreEditor

There’s one overriding sentiment from those attending the Emergency Medical Technician course that’s being held in Riverdale – everyone there just wants to be able to help someone else when they need it.

They also see that it’s necessary, especially for the small towns.

"If we don’t have people step up . . ." said Underwood’s Freedom Bassett, we won’t have an ambulance squad.

"There isn’t really a young generation in there right now," added Angie Hovdenes, whose father Bob is a veteran of the Underwood Squad, and current Fire Chief.

Both Bassett and Hovdeness are already members of the Underwood Fire, Ambulance and Rescue squad, but they’re not EMTs, so what they can do at an accident or emergency is pretty limited. They wanted to be able to do more.

The EMT course is not easy.

The course started in February, and they won’t be testing on their practicals (hands-on) until June, and after that comes the written.